The Games of a Predator
by Birds-of-Burgundy
Summary: She had become his obsession three hundred years ago and it resulted in her death. Reborn as Usagi in the present day, she picks up the profession she had 300 years ago, a demon slayer, and finds herself being hunted. Dreams plague her, and a powerful, sa
1. prolouge

Hey this is my first fic so if you feel like offering comments please be gentle. I'm allergic to bad reviews and mean comments. With that said please enjoy.

I don't own Sailor by the way, the people who own it, can have it.

**Summary**:

Serena is a simple secretary for a major banking company and her days are pretty normal, but at night it's a whole other story. She's known as the huntress to those that go bump in the night but something has been throwing her off. She's having these dreams about a boyfriend from her past life who's not only controlling, he's an alpha werewolf, and he's coming for her.

**Prologue:**

"Cara Mia"

The words carried softly on the breeze as it followed a young mistress who attempted to out run it. The words taunted her, wrapped around her delicate skin, and she felt herself stumbling over the forest floor. She cursed herself, but quickly carried on even faster than before. He was close, too close.

Her lungs were burning and her feet pounded hard on the dirt as she dodged through the trees. They stood tall and overpowering as they blocked her way to escape. She felt more than one branch break into the skin along her arms and the tender flesh around her neck, trying to slow her down. The cuts ran deep, and she would have felt the sting throb through her limbs if an overwhelming fear hadn't made her numb to it all. Every thought centered on escaping her predators because she could never let him capture her. NEVER.

Coming up to a small clearing she tripped over a protruding root and rolled hard onto the ground. She let out a grunt as her body screamed in pain. Fire sliced along her limbs and she lay there for a few seconds, dazed and confused. She took deep gulps of air to fill her burning lungs as her chest rose frantically up and down. Her mind screamed for her to get up, to start running again but everything felt stiff and heavy; she could barely breathe right, let alone stand up.

In the midst of trying to catch her bearings, twigs began to snap from all directions. Low growls emanated from the surrounding shrubs and she found herself scrambling to stand up. The felt ground began to spin before her and she stumbled in order to steady herself. Her head pounded with enough force to bring a red haze across her eyes.

She brought her hand to her head and felt at the large scrape on her forehead and winced at the slight pressure. She could taste the blood in her mouth and felt it slide down her chin, mixed with smudges of dirt. She looked down to her torn t-shirt and blue jeans that also held bloodstains and dirt patches. Her long, thick hair had come undone from a simple bun and the blond tresses hung like a ratty, dirty cloak around her 5'5 frame. Her whole body was sore and shaking with a mixture of fear and stored up adrenaline.

The growling turned into howls that rose louder among the trees and echoed harshly in her ears. It was fierce and angry and it came from five large wolves that had stepped out of the clearing with deadly intent. Two gray wolves stood on either side of her, and one stood directly behind. They stalked toward her with silent steps while bearing fangs that promised certain death. Their eyes glowed a feverish yellow and the massage they carried within them told of her of their hunger, their never-ending need for carnage.

"Oh … great……his lackeys." She spoke with a great deal of effort while still trying to catch her breath. She eyed the surrounding pack warily, which had now stopped not more than five feet in front of her.

She was about to give more sarcasm when a loud snap brought her attention directly in front of her. Coming out of the shadows stood the man she'd been desperately trying to avoid. He was tall, over six feet, and looked very intimidating, with his black attire and strong imposing build. He filled out his black t-shirt and leather trench coat rather nicely with rippling muscles and glancing down she'd know there was nothing to compensate for underneath his leather pants. His clothes matched his short, dark hair that had fallen over his eyes.

Oh his eyes. They were his most striking feature; they were a deep ocean blue with the power to hypnotize. They offered protection, peace, gentle concern but she knew better than to get lost in their depths. She knew. The dark power that rolled off him in waves was enough to keep her from falling under the illusion. In fact it brought her fear of him back with a vengeance and it took all of her resolve to keep her legs from giving way. He was dangerous. A bad, bad man.

'He found me. He found me. HE FOUND ME.' The thought kept running through her head until she thought her head would explode. but she refused to show him that she was scared. She'd go down defiant and strong, never would she cower before this arrogant bastard. So she stood up straight, as best she could anyway, and tried to look as threatening as possible.

The man let out a bark laughter at her appearance, which caused her to jump slightly and bristle in indignation. He took in her proud stance and assessed her features that still looked lovely despite the dirt and blood. Her silver eyes sparked with a lively hate and it made him smile at her spunk despite her obvious fear and battered body. He could smell the fear radiating off of her and he be damned if it wasn't making him just a little bit excited.

He took a step closer and she brought her a back a little straighter, she would not run from him anymore. Not that she could anyways, what with his pets surrounding her.

"Every night you run from me and every night you never get very far before I find you. How long do you plan to keep running?" His voice was deep, and sensual, and she felt it slide against her skin like fur. She could feel the throbbing sting from her various cuts ease and despite her loathing for him, his voice made her spine tingle.

"How long do you plan to keep chasing me?" She countered in a breathless voice. It carried softly among the circle of tense beasts, and held within it a soothing quality. They felt their posture relax and their growls turned softer.

"Forever." It was a powerful statement and she felt it echo deep within her bones. 'Forever'. She swallowed hard and suddenly she felt tired, beaten, worn down.

"You never could let anything go could you? Always controlling. Always commanding. Why do you think I left?" Her heart pounded loudly in her ears and she felt her palms sweating with the effort to keep her voice steady and calm. But it was so hard to stand still and strong when he kept stepping closer.

"I'll never let you take me again. I'll be the one thing, the only person that ever eluded your grasp. And I'll laugh as you lay in your luxurious bed with someone who can never complete you such as I had. My scent will always linger on your skin, in your sheets, and the taste of me will never leave your mouth. I'll always be in side your head, surrounding you, but always just out of reach. I'll drive you mad, just like you have done to me, and I'll savor every minute of it."

She finished with more confidence than she felt, just as he stopped not but two inches from her. His body was relaxed, his face calm, but his eyes pooled with fire and she felt her breath hitch. A deep chuckle resonated from his lips but she stayed locked with his eyes.

"Ah Serenity, you cut me to the quick with your vengeance, but we both know you can never escape me. And when…" his voice dropped lower as his mouth inched closer to hers. "I find you…" he brought his tongue down to her chin and licked at the blood leading up to her mouth and suckled slightly on her lower lip. "I will make…" her eyes closed on their own violation and a delightful shiver rippled down her spine. "You mine." He eased back an inch and his eyes shone with pure arrogance as he held a smirk on his lips that were now smeared with her blood on them.

Anger shot through her system at her body's betrayal and his cockiness. He could feel the fire in her eyes as they blazed at him but he still wasn't prepared for her attack. Her arm rose fast and she struck him hard with the back of her fist across his cheek. It brought a smile to her face as she watched him stagger back at the force. His shock almost had her laughing but the loud growls and barking k-nines brought her back to herself and that she wasn't alone.

"Never, Ever will I be yours. Do you hear me? I 'm tired of this cat and mouse game. You are to stay the fuck away from me because if you decide to show up, I will kill you. And your pretty little pack too. Your not welcome here." Her words held venom and she stood in a defensive stance with her fists in front of her, and her feet slightly apart (A Buffy Stance, like when she fights those ugly ass monsters in the third season, on the first episode and she's standing on the platform, she totally kicked ass).

He stood up, the shock gone and his confident smirk back in place. He began to chuckle low in his throat until he was laughing. It echoed loudly in her head making her ears ring.

"Stop! Stop! STOP!!!!" she brought her hands to her ears to cover the sound but it only increased in volume. Her vision began swirl in front of her until she couldn't make out anything in the twirling darkness. Screeching howls rose to a fever pitch that brought her to her knees. Still, above everything, she could here him laughing and she screamed to drown him out. She had to drown him out, to salvage her sanity.

"I'm Coming."

And this was how she woke up, screaming in her New York apartment at three in the morning. She struggled to come back to herself and focused on her surroundings. She was safe and sound in her apartment. 'Nothing to worry about,' she chided herself, 'just a silly dream'. Even now she struggled to remember what it entailed but found she could only remember a man's laughter. She wrapped a sheet around her chilled body and headed the window overlooking downtown New York, which never seemed to sleep.

'So many people' she thought as she brought a hand to the windowpane 'I should feel safe here, but I don't'. She shivered in the chilling darkness of her apartment as she watched the people scurry about. She whispered two words that made her heart quiver.

"He's Coming."

Um hope you like and let me know. Bye.


	2. chapter 1

Hi again, (Waves to the applauding audience and continues). Because of the encouragement from all the nice people who left feedback I'm going to continue with the story. Hope you like it. As an afterthought(s), I'd like to tell you that writing is hard. I mean, I have pieces of this story in my head, but not the whole plot, ya know? Also sticking with a story can get pretty tedious but hopefully I won't lose interest. But, I like writing my own story because sometimes when I read everybody else's story I want to change a sentence, or a paragraph, that will make it sound better and then I want to rewrite the story with my improved dialogue and everything, (I hope that didn't sound mean or arrogant or anything, I love everybody's stories). Does any one else have that problem? (Empty stares around the room). Just me huh? Well anyway I'll just let you get to the story now.

() When you see those, just consider them as useless information and silly side comments, which the author puts in every now and again. Feel free to ignore.

**Chapter 1**

Usagi awoke with uneasiness settling tight along her chest. She sat up with blinking eyes as they adjusted to the harsh rays of the rising sun that came bursting through the glass of her large windows. She dipped her head to the right and glanced toward the alarm clock sitting silent atop her mahogany nightstand and brought her hands to come through her tangled hair, and push it away from her face.

'6:20' it read. Just 5 minutes before her alarm would have sounded. She reached over to turn it off. 'No point for it to sound off now' she thought, 'I'm already awake', which was odd for her. She propped herself against the headboard of her queen-sized bed and pondered over it. Usually it took her five times after she'd hit the snooze button, to realize that she absolutely had to get out of bed. With all the late nights she pulled, (which had nothing to with studying, thank you, she was done and out of school for good), she craved all the sleep she could get. Even as a kid she could remember her mom's frustration at always having to come up to her room and personally remover her from her bed (Just like my mom!).? Of course, who wanted to trade in a warm, comfy bed for a hard desk and a bunch of math equations? It unnerved her that she was up early and wide-awake, when for the past twenty-three years she'd always slept in. Always.

Her eyes danced around her creamy colored bedroom, which only held a dresser, a small chaise, a four poster bed, and the nightstand, all furbished with the same dark mahogany color. Nothing was out of place, just a few pictures of her family atop the dresser. Make up still lay scrambled along her chaise. Last put not least, her clothes from yesterday's attire lay heaped together on the hardwood floor. She nodded to herself, the picture looked right in her head, but she couldn't help still feeling out of sorts. She just knew that something, something that probably wasn't good, was going to happen, and it was going to happen to her. She shivered.

Then she laughed at herself and how silly she was being. She shrugged away the uneasiness and rolled her shoulders back and cracked her neck to levitate the pressure on her tense back muscles. She blamed her early rising incident on the days old pizza she'd stuffed down last night and got up stretching. She looked to the clock once more, and her yawn turned into a yelp when she realized she was no longer up early. She'd been pondering for little over a half an hour, and if she didn't get moving she was gonna be late for work.

She made it out the apartment complex by seven twenty-five with no time for breakfast, which only consisted of toast anyway, and stepped into the office building at five past eight. She was five minutes late and she hadn't even made it to her desk yet, which was still ten floors up. And of course, to make matters worse, the elevator was out of order. She had to run up ten flights up stairs; in pumps no less. 'Great, just great' she berated herself.

She arrived at her desk out of breath and flushed. Some of her golden hair had escaped the French braid it was in, which hung curled around her face, which was light in makeup. She removed the cream colored blazer off her shoulders and hung it to the back of her chair. She rolled up the sleeves of her blouse to the middle of her forearms and undid the top button in hopes to cool her heated body, and in doing so showed off the inviting swell of her breasts. She hurriedly placed her purse under the desk and fell back lazily into her roller chair. She lolled her head back, exposing the delicate curve of her throat and jaw line. She crossed her legs allowing the black skirt she wore to ride up her toned thighs. Her arms lay to her side as she gripped the seat of her chair and her eyes were closed as she focused on breathing normally. All in all she made a rather alluring picture that did not go unnoticed by the males employees mulling around the hallways as they worked their way toward their offices.

The phone began to ring, rather shrilly she noted, and she jerked her body upward with a start. Remembering she had a job to start, she made sure that her breathing was normal before answering calmly with "You've reached Mr. Carter's office, how may I help you?"

"Hello sunshine"

She could feel the chills creep up her spine in response to the cool greeting. It left her temporally breathless as a vision of the man who'd been in her dream last night flashed across her eyes. Her hand gripped the phone until her knuckles were white, while the other had gone to her throat where her pulse had sped up to an alarming rate. She had to close her eyes and catch her breath while the uneasiness she had felt this morning came back with a vengeance. 'Calm down' she told herself, 'deep breath,' which she took and opened her eyes.

She had yet to answer him and he hadn't even asked if something was wrong, almost as if he knew he had affected her so. With another deep breath and a tight voice, she tried to answer him.

"Good morning Sir, I'm sorry for the pause I was glancing at files that were thrown on my desk just now, how may I help you?" her voice had gone low, almost intimate which she didn't like, but at least it was steady.

"Of course" he sounded amused as if indulging her, but not really convinced of her cover-up about the silence. She felt her nerves returning at his amusement, nothing like feeling stupid to get your defenses up.

"As for helping me, well," his voiced dropped lower as her heartbeat sped up, "I have a few suggestions as to how you could, all of which are inappropriate."

He wasn't teasing. She could feel the sexual promise in the predatory roughness of his voice. She could also feel something low in her body quiver with heat at his words, despite her mind's immediate offense at such a comment.

'What an arrogant son of a bitch.' She had no idea who the hell he was but she wanted out of this conversation.

"You did call for something important I assume? Would like to share or are you waiting for me to start guessing?" She mentally patted her back at the cool sarcasm, it gave her a false sense of control.

"Guessing would make the game more fun and playing games with you Usagi" She took a shape intake of breath at the mention of her name, "was always one of my favorite activities, among others." She could feel fear humming in her veins, and her body shook with the effort not to slam the phone down in its cradle.

His words had triggered images pushing at her memory but they were too hazy to grasp. She looked around the hallways to see if anyone was watching her but found it strangely empty. She focused her attention back on the conversation.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" she hated that her voice came as a scared whisper, being weak had never settled well with her.

"You'll find out soon enough and I will personally see to it." His tone practically purred with the silky promise and what scared her most was her body's anticipation to meet him. "Oh, do be a doll and tell Mr. Carter that a friend is on line one for him." She wanted to hit him right then but was more that willing to let it go if it meant an end to the conversation.

She pushed the hold button and then and took a moment to collect herself. Hitting the intercom with shaking fingers she told Andrew of his call on line one. When she saw that he had the line she slammed her phone down and stood up with shuddering limbs.

She reached the nearest bathroom within seconds and slapped her hand on the counter trying hard to control her breathing. She looked to her reflection and found her skin had gone unnaturally pale and a line of sweat covered her forehead. But her eyes scared her the most. Her eyes were wide, possessed with a stark fear of something she didn't want to understand. Her pupils had dilated to cover the whites of her eyes and her lavender eye color was nothing but a slim rim around them.

She closed her eyes tightly and swallowed the urge to scream. She was stronger than this, she had to be stronger than this. Especially if she was going to face him, which she knew with a certainty she would. He seemed like the kind to always keep his promise.

She opened her eyes, not daring to look in the mirror and studied her hands. She willed them to stop shaking, forced herself to breathe normally, and when she felt calm and somewhat collected she dared a peak at the mirror. Her eyes had gone back to normal but the fear was still there. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts but she pushed them to the back of her mind. She needed to concentrate on work and not think about what had just occurred.

'Good luck' her mind growled, angry that someone she didn't know could do this to her.

Rage rippled through her body at the man's ability to send her emotions out of control by simply speaking with his sensual tones. Control was her biggest issue, she had to feel in control. Succumbing to panic and fear would get her killed or worse, but she felt that with this new distraction control would be a thing of the past.

She wanted to kill him. She wanted to rip his throat out. She wanted to watch him bleed to death and smile while he could do nothing to stop it. She wanted to- she pulled back on her thoughts and stored them for later on, when she'd need it for the hunt tonight. She was going to kick some major ass she concluded, and she'd do it with a song in her heart.

She felt her body fully relax, and she stretched her lithe body like a content cat. Her eyes sparkled with their usual cheeriness and cool smile found a way to her lips. She was going to have fun tonight and no one could stop her. 'First things first' she thought 'I have to get back to work' which is exactly what she did. All the while images of the fun she'd have to night danced across her mind.

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Well what do you think? Reviews please! I personally, always wanted Usagi to have a darker, stronger side. I don't like people bullying her. She will definitely have an attitude equipped with sarcasm and sexual attraction. Watch out Mamoru! C ya 


	3. chapter 2

I'm still not sure where this story will end up but I'm working on it. Hope you like this new chapter.

Chapter 2 

Footsteps echoed within a long marble corridor, the strides swift and powerful. Along the corridor candles lined the drafty, stonewalls to either side, illuminating the tunnel to the barest minimum. The light cast high, dark shadows, which seemed to wrap and coil around the silent figure as he passed. Not that he minded, he'd been made for the dark, created from it, and it was all he'd ever know.

Coming to a large oak door, he thrust his hand out muttering a simple incantation and it opened wide to let him through. It shut swiftly behind him and the click resonated loudly throughout the high ceiling.

The room was enormously large, overpowering and darker still than the corridor leading to it. The only source of light came from two candles placed to either side of a jade thrown. The figure stepped up to the immaculate thrown, the small embers lighting up his bronze skin tone with a healthy glow. His face was sculpted beauty, hand carved by the gods themselves. His hair shone the deepest black, glittering with deep blue highlights. They complimented his brooding eyes. Eyes that held the power to look straight through a person's soul and strip them of their essence.(sigh, I so wouldn't mind coming home to that everyday).

The male form seated himself and surveyed the ominous room with contemptuous eyes. Things seemed to move deep within the shadowed corners of the walls. A scraping against the marble floors here or a ruffling of movement there, it was enough to bring a mortal man to madness. The young ignored it already in tune with the dark magic that played trickery in the shadows and hung thick in the air.

His muscles were tense, his shape mind running over the events of the day, or more importantly his early phone conversation. It had left him irritable, and those not lucky enough to avoid him, found themselves the prime target of his temper.

Even knowing that he had left her emotional control in tatters hadn't made him satisfied. She had left him feeling incomplete and aching with a loneliness only she could fill. It had angered him immensely that she could affect him so, a powerful being such as himself, who if he so chose, could crush her at will.

Her voice had been soft, a sweet melody to his ears sending his body a flame with heat. He'd had to stifle a groan at the sexual frustration caused by her teasing voice. He could practically taste her on his tongue, smell the strawberry-vanilla scent of her perfume, feel the smoothness of her peach colored skin with his sensitive fingers. He had imagined her on his desk, her body quivering, hot and begging for his touch.

He'd thrown his phone across the room in his anger, his muscles flexing with barely contained rage as he watched with little satisfaction as the phone smashed against the opposite wall. He wanted her, craved her, and she would surrender completely to him when he took her. It was only a matter of time.

He'd stood up in his chair, his large, masculine hands spanning the cool wood of his desk and gripped the edges. Calling on the healing powers of the land to calm his overriding emotions, he let out a hissing breath.

He was a patient man. Living just under a millennium could do that to a man. He'd waited several hundred years for her, what was a few more weeks? Walking out of the office feeling in control but empty, he took the rest of the day off, and she never strayed far from his mind.

A harsh knock at the door brought the young king back to himself, and he brought his head to stare at the door. Bringing his face to one of cool indifference he called out.

"Enter"

His voice was a booming command, his tone laced with impatience at being interrupted. A young man entered quickly and a sneer made its way to king's face as his sharp eyes looked over the unwanted guest. He was tall, just about the king's height, with the same build, and the same hard, beautiful facial structure. The only differences were the man's white washed blond hair and forest green eyes (sound familiar?). He wore jeans, a white beater under an unbuttoned T-shirt, and sneakers.

"Just checking in." His voice was neutral, his head bowed in submission to his superior. The young man's eyes looked up too searched those of his Prince's, they gave nothing away; they were always guarded.

"You came here with other intentions, do tell me, I'm not about to guess on the mater." There was amusement in his tone that did not reach his eyes. They stayed hard and lined with malice.

"I wish to know about her. What you plan to do with her."

It had taken a moment to question himself if he should ask. He knew he spoke of a sensitive subject matter when it came to the girl, and questioning his prince's decisions could mean your death, but he'd asked for directness and he'd obliged the demand.

"You think its business of your to ask me these questions?"

"No sir, I--"

"Do not worry I plan to take very good care of her." His voice still held amusement but hard steel lined the words. His eyes sparked with black furry, and if he pushed the matter he would have no qualms with unleashing it.

The young man's eyes rounded slightly in disbelief and horror. "So you plan to convert her, make her your queen?" He tried to keep the anger and mocking out of his voice but the king picked up on it anyway, his keen hearing never missed much of any conversation.

"You don't seem to agree with my decision, nor do you feel confident I will accomplish the task." He made it a statement, not a question, said to goad the younger man, and foolish as he was he picked up the bait.

"And you seem overly confident for someone who failed at the first attempt to turn her. She went crazy if I recall, she destroyed herself and nearly took the whole pack with her. Do feel my dislike of your repeating the past misplaced?"

The air around the prince seemed to come alive and spark with electricity. His furry rolled off of him in waves and the young man took a step back, His head low in apology and shame. The prince lashed out with his arm and brought his hand into a tight fist.

The young man stumbled to the ground, bringing his hands to his throat, which had suddenly closed up on him. Some invisible force was crushing his windpipe, cutting off his air supply. He tried desperately to claw for release on his throat as he choked and sputtered pathetically for air.

"You forget yourself and who's mercy you bow to. Do not, under any circumstances get accustomed to questioning me, or breathing will be the least of your problems when facing my wrath. My word is law, you'll do well to remember that."

He loosened his hand and the young man felt the pressure reduce around his throat. Taking in greedy gulps of air to fill his burning lungs he brought guilty, watering eyes to his prince's.

"She was my sister."

An image rose strong in his mind of her fragile body thrashing against the mattress she lay on. Frail limbs struggling against the ropes that bound them. She was screaming, her face drawn taunt, and her eyes large, empty, staring past everything. He'd vowed to never experience that again.

"Yes," There was no sympathy, no remorse from his prince, just plain deadly truth, "and you betrayed her."

He gave one swift nod in conformation; his eyes fell to the ground as his shoulders shook with the effort to control his painful emotions.

"I find myself hungry and your presence aggravating, when I return I don't want to find you here" with that said he swept gracefully past him and out the way he had come.

f course Endymion." The gruff words reverberated around empty air.

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(Elsewhere)

It was eight o'clock when Usagi crossed the threshold of her apartment. Leaving her shoes at the door and tossing her jacket on the couch she dashed through her living room and into her bedroom. Taking off her work clothes and slipping into T-shirt and overalls, she raced back through her living room and into the kitchen. 'Nothing like feel comfy when you're about to kick ass' she thought to herself.

She poured water into the kettle and let it boil on the burner of the stove. She took down a container of instant romen from a nearby cupboard and placed it on the corner. She needed a light snack before going out and taking on the night creatures of Tokyo.

Heading back to the living room she listened to the messages on her answering machine, apparently she had two.

"Usagi it's your Mother- I… I mean its Ikuko," There was a pause and a deep sigh, "I know your upset with us but there are secret work related things I think you want to know about. Give me a call Usagi," There was a sniffle and another sigh, "I miss you… we miss you." And the machine moved on to the next message.

"Usagi its Makoto, I have the awesomest most wonderful news ever but its not something to leave on the answering machine. I'll try you tomorrow when not killing nasties. Later." The machine kicked off.

'That girl' Usagi thought with a smile, 'knows me to well.' The smile disappeared when she thought of Ikuko, It had been three years since she'd moved out, on angry terms no less, and she hadn't really tried to keep in touch. She should call them, the news sounded important and they were her only family. The whistle of the kettle blew shrill announcing dinnertime and Usagi headed toward the kitchen.

It was a quarter to nine when Usagi grabbed up the necessary equipment, consisting of two stakes, a bottle of holly water, and a cross. Stuffing them in the different pockets of her overalls she grabbed up her jacket and headed out the door.

It was five past ten when Usagi crossed into the park and it was at that exact moment when the first shrill scream rang out across the empty playground.  
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Well how was it for the second chapter? Dare I continue? Now I have to tell you that when I wrote the summery I had something a little different in mind but I think my story has taken a turn for the better. Please let me know you think, the more encouragement, the more I write. As for the next installment I'm going to try and produce a fighting scene and Usgai will kinda sorta meet her mystery phone man. Also I plan to do a little more explaining on the plot, It should be interesting. Oh yeah, How to you spell usagi's mother's name? Did I spell it right?


	4. chapter 3

Sorry for all the problems i'm trying to work on it. I'd like to say thanks for all of those that have reviewed, You are all awsome and very sweet. If you've noticed there is a new summary and in this chapter I introduced the big bad evil.

Summary

she had become his obsession three hundred years ago and it resulted in her death. Now reborn as Usagi, she takes to the profession she had three hundred years ago, A demon slayer, and finds herself being hunted. Dreams plague her, and powerful savage man begins to stalk her. Things become clear when she comes across her journal written in her past life and a monster supposedly killed returns in the body of a boy.

"Dammit."

Megan was cursing herself for being all kinds of fools when she decided she'd take the long way home, through a dark and deserted park, at night. She thought the park would be beautiful at night, with the moon casting a silver glow on the surrounding scenery. She needed the fresh air and the comforting peace that nature was said to offer.

She heard something rustle in the shrubbery to her left and realized that there was nothing comforting or peaceful about nature, especially at night when she was by herself and defenseless. The shadows of the trees seemed to be chasing her and the air was still, silent, as if waiting patiently for something to happen. Something bad.

She sped up her pace, now desperately wanting to get the hell out of here. Another rustle in the bushes to her right had her running. She could feel eyes on her now, and dread settled hard in the center of her gut. Something was watching her, she could feel the gaze burn through her back.

Every now and then as she ran along the winding pathway, or what she could see of one anyway, something would move along the bushes on either side of her. Something dangerous, something evil was leading her along, directing her movements to where it wanted her to go. Where it would ultimately kill her.

The smell of rotten flesh rose strong suddenly and burned in her nose, hung so heavy in the air that she could feel it weigh her down. She could taste it in her mouth, sliding thick, down the back of her throat and she couldn't breath. Her eyes watered as she choked back on the smell. Her skin was crawling wildly, almost unbearably as she felt its dark intentions push at her mind.

It was enjoying the chase, drinking up her fear and desperation like sweet wine. It was playing a game with her, having fun before the kill in which there was no escape. It was only a matter of time and hers was running out.

His hunger was all consuming and never ending. It burned in his belly, stripped his mind until it had become a frenzying rage that gripped his thoughts. He was angry, hatred his only driving force, and he demanded retribution for his lasting torment. He was going to rip into her slowly, watch her writhe and shudder as the pain convulsed through her body. He wanted to hear her scream until her eyes rolled back and her heart no longer beat within her breast (Poor girl, see why dark places are bad, especially parks!).

She could see it all in her head and she let out a choked sob as she brought up her hands to block it out. Tears trailed warm down her flushed cheeks. Her legs were close to giving out, the strain of running too long at top speed taking its toll. She was wheezing hard, struggling to breathe pass the suffocating stench. She could feel her body slowing down, on the verge of collapse from sheer exhaustion.

He felt close, as if he were a mere inches from snatching her up. She glanced behind her but the path was empty, deserted, not a soul in sigh-

She slammed hard into something in front of her and both tumbled roughly onto the ground. She landed on her stomach with the wind knocked out of her and her vision disoriented. She coughed in air, tried to clear her vision but something latched on to her arm.

She screamed, struggling violently to break free of the hold but it was like an iron vice. She pleaded to be let go, her bleary eyes only seeing a black silhouette of large shape towering over her. She screamed loudly for help but she was pinned against a strong frame, arms entrapping her. Words were being whispered across her ear, and she tried to fight past the fear to understand what was being said.

"Its okay, its okay, you need to calm down. Its okay, you're okay, calm down. I won't hurt you, you're safe."

The words were steady, soothing, and her body ceased to struggle. She took deep breaths and tried to catch her bearings. She searched frantically for something lurking in the near by shrubs but found nothing. A breeze blew stirred softly and there was nothing potent in the air. There were no thoughts but her own, dwelling inside her head. Had it all been her imagination?

"Oh god…oh god… I… I thought… I thought someone was there. Behind me… I thought he was gonna kill me…. I…" She trailed off from her frantic babbling and tried not to hyperventilate. She closed her eyes and felt her body relax against the person who held her.

He stroked her hair as she tried hard not to cry. She focused on trying to calm her heart rate and bring her pulse back down to semi-normal.

"That's right" He cooed. He brought his mouth close to her ear and breathed in the scent of her hair. "Don't be afraid." His hands trailed down to her to her shoulder blades and his fingers dug past the barrier of her shirt and into her tender skin.

"I'll save you."

Her body jerked violently and she let out a painful gasp as sharp claws dragged down her back. He moved slowly, claws sinking in deep until they stopped just above her hips. Something warm followed after his hands, traveling just as slowly, and she wondered in somewhat of a daze, if it was blood.

He stepped back, taking away her support, and she dropped with a thud onto the dirt where something seemed to pop. She let out a small cry and tried to curl into herself, tiny pathetic whimpers escaping her throat.

Leaves crunched beneath the monster as he bent down to her. His deformed hands were leathery, rough as they cradled her neck, his fingers massaging the nape. He brought her head up to stare at him and only shock kept her from screaming.

He was smiling, the corners of his mouth stretching past the planes of his face, and dozens of jagged fangs gleamed at her. Her death lay inside It's sunken, shriveled eyes that were laughing at her. The flames of hell were dancing in his irises as they burned a deep, smoky red.

It's said that eyes are the windows to one's soul, and Megan knew without a doubt that this thing carried no soul, just a malicious need to kill, to destroy. When it spoke its voice echoed and scraped at the walls of her mind. It was pure madness, pure chaos, pure evil and she was drowning in it.

"Scream for me."

And she did, knowing that even in death she would never escape those eyes.  
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(elsewhere)

Usagi was in the middle of fighting her own demons, while Megan's broken body was dragged away. She'd just come up to the park wondering what Makoto's good news might entail, when multiple screams had interrupted the silence. Gearing up for a fight, she took off in the direction where birds had shot out into the night from fright of the noise.

She arrived to see a man lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, and a fair amount of blood seeping from a large laceration on his forehead. A busted tree branch lying a few feet away explained how that had occurred.

To the left of the man she could make out a vamp straddling a terrified woman and just about to sink extended canines into her jugular. The woman was crying out for someone, probably her unconscious boyfriend, while her attacker was laughing at her feeble attempts to push him off her.

Usagi was there in seconds and with a super human strength she pulled him by the shoulders and hauled him off the woman. He sailed far, tumbling to stop, but he was up fast and growling like a raging animal, his teeth extended to the limit. Usagi faced him, her face calm, cold and both ignored the woman as she rushed to the man who seemed to be gaining consciousness.

"Picking on the defenseless is a little unfair don't you think? I'm here to make it even."

He snarled at her, "you are a very stupid, little girl, and it will cost you your life." His mouth seemed to elongate as his nail grew to sharp points, and he charged at her. He was quick, moving at a supernatural speed but Usagi side stepped him and brought her foot down hard on the back of his calf.

He stumbled, falling to one knee and hissing in pain. They turned to face each other, Usagi bringing her arms up in defense and the vamp hissing in annoyance.

"So, you wanna play do you?"

He smiled maliciously but Usagi said nothing, she stood still, waiting, ready for the next attack. He came quick, if not quicker than before and brought his right arm up to strike her. She blocked with her left arm and her right came swift and connected with his face. She hit him again in his chest and used her left arm to backhand him across his face.

He stumbled to the right and she kicked at his back causing him to fall flat on the ground. Usagi grabbed at a stake in her side pocket and came down to dust him but his arm shot out, surprising her. He grabbed her wrist before she could penetrate and kicked her legs out from under her.

She fell on her back, slightly winded, the stake rolling from her hand. He was suddenly on top of her, grabbing at her arms. She used his momentum and pushed up with her legs and sent him flying over her head. She scrambled up, looking for the stake but not finding it.

From the corner of her eye she could see him coming and blocked both on-coming punches and kicked his stomach. He took a step back, grunting, and she did a back handspring, her foot catching his jaw. He fell back and Usagi was able to bull out a bottle of holy water.

He came at her again and she ducked his punch, avoided his low kick and brought the bottle to smash against his face. He brought up his hands to cover it as it smoldered, all the while cursing at her in fury.  
She used his distraction to pull out another stake and brought it down fast in the center of his heart. He staggered back, surprise written on his face. Usagi held a condescending smirk on her as she commented.

"It would seem you're all talk and no show."

His only answer was combusting into dust. Usagi heaved a sigh, unsatisfied for some reason. She looked around to find the couple gone and without so much as a thank you, no less. She could have been heartless, and left them to be eaten, so was a thank you really all that much to ask for?

She went still suddenly, mentally counting down in her head. 'Three… two… one…' she leapt to the side her right arm extending out. It connected with something solid and she looked to find her stake lodged in the heart of another vampire. Shock and confusion lined his face, probably wondering how she could have heard him behind her.

"I do this for a living. Give me a little more credit than that."

"Huntress…" was all he could hiss before he too, combusted into ashes. Her lip curled in distaste.

"I really hate that name."

She sighed again and dusted her jacket sleeve. She decided to head back, her warm bed sounding really good right now. She took a step forward when she felt eyes watching her. She froze her eyes searching the surrounded shrubs.

A presence seemed to be everywhere at once and her head jerked in all directions hoping to pinpoint its location. The gaze she felt was strong, cool, and it made her shiver. She still hadn't spotted anything but she knew someone was there, watching, admiring; her breathing increased.

"Come out."

Her voice was rough and she tried to clear it. She felt the barest brush of something-warm slide against the back of her neck and she whipped around to find nothing but air. She felt warm fingers glide along the line of her jaw and sweep back her hair.

She was helpless to anything but to close her eyes against the tender gesture. Another hand spanned the flatness of her stomach. She let out a slow breath and fell back against a strong chest. She felt his mouth skim her collarbone and moved up the side of her bare neck. It was barely there but it sent heat tendrils pooling in her lower stomach region.

His mouth reached just under the inside of her ear and he nipped playfully. She sucked in a ragged breath as his hand slid lower down her stomach. She felt his chest rumble as he chuckled, his voice deep and sensual.

"You always did surrender to me easily enough. I had expected a little bit of challenge this time around."

Her eyes snapped open and she came back to herself, fully aware of her intimate position. She recognized the voice from her early phone conversation suddenly she wasn't up to a confrontation.

She jerked out of his embrace spinning around to look at him but there was no one there, just empty space. She closed her eyes, struggling to stay calm, and opened them to find a figure outlined between two trees.  
He was standing fifteen yards away and she could just make his well-muscled form waving to her, his arm moving slowly in a large ark. He was smiling, she could see the gleam of his pearly white teeth and it made her think of a predator's smile.

'I'll be back'

It was his promise and she could hear it swimming in her head. She turned on her heel and fled. She was shaking so bad she thought she might topple at any minute. She wanted nothing more than to hide underneath her covers and find it all a bad dream.  
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She made it into her apartment in record time and slammed the door hard, not caring if she woke up the surrounding neighbors. She locked all the dead bolts and leaned up against the door. She tried to catch her breath.

She could still feel him on her skin, his earth bound scent heightening her senses. She brought her hand to cover her pounding heart, willing it too calm. She needed a bath, she needed to soak in the tub and if she was lucky she would drown.

She peeled her jacket off and threw it carelessly onto the sofa as she headed to her bathroom. She filled up the tub with steamy water and all but jumped in. The water soothed her instantly, calming her frayed nerves.

She closed her eyes and tried hard to think of anything but what had happened tonight. She didn't like how she had lost herself in his embrace. How she had melted at his slightest touch. She didn't even know him, though just his voice brought on a strong sense of familiarity.

She shook her head, she would think about him right now, what she needed was to relax and sleep. She rose out of the tub wrapping a towel around her body and grabbing another for her hair.

Pulling on her satin jammies she crawled into bed with the thought of needing to call Ikuno and talk to her. She probably had information regarding this whole mess. She fell asleep knowing that her life was about to go seriously down hill from here and it would all start with him.

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Hope the chapter was long enough for you, and i'm really sorry for the mix up. Stay tuned for the next installment.


	5. Chapter 4

Well hiya! Sorry for the wait but you know how some of us writers get board or lazy or busy or frustrated with how it's turning out and I ladies and gents have experienced all four; once or twice all at the same time I might add. Neways I have to give a shout out to all my fans, or reviewers anyways, cuz you guys totally encouraged me to get this chapter finished. I also felt a little guilty but not enough apparently to type any faster. Oh well, whatcha goin' do? Now I would like to do those personal thank you's to each and every reviewer but I'm experiencing laziness right now so I won't. I'm just going to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who commented, you guys totally boosted my confidence. Also this chapter might confuse you just a bit more on the plot but that just means I'm doing my job. Ok, shutting up now, enjoy.

**Chapter 4 **

She stood alone, stranded in the desert sands of purgatory, feeling lost and vulnerable. She appeared small and insignificant; the empty vastness of the silent wasteland overpowering her delicate frame. The surrounding horizon was endless and barren, stretching out into forever and illuminated by a dim, pulsating, artificial light. She could gain no sense of time here, what appeared to be dusk might as well have been dawn. She could tell nothing from this place except that it felt wrong, very wrong.

She was standing in the center of it all, wearing a simple silk dress, which flowed down her slim body into the rough sand behind her. The color was rich, ebony black, which contrasted greatly against her pale skin. Her golden tresses were a mass of curls atop her head, suspended in various clips. Her large lavender eyes were accented with black mascara and purple eye shadow. There was a sweep of blush to either side of her high cheekbones and her lips were coated with a deep satin red. She looked like an ethereal being, an untouchable goddess, but the fear in her eyes as she stared with uncertainty into the distance told of her vulnerability, of her humanity.

A sharp wind picked up suddenly, rushing past her in one cold, violent trust. It was a rasping, angry whisper of her name. 'SERENITY'. It seemed to draw her forward, intending to lead her to an unknown destination. Somewhere she was sure, she did not want to be. She stepped forward, her bare feet sinking into the grains of sand that she did not feel. Her strides were long, graceful, and she moved with a confidence she did not possess. Everything within her screamed to run the other way, run anywhere else, but something in her soul kept her from acting on her fear. She was desperate for answers, desperate to know something, anything, about what she did not understand. Besides, even if she chose to run, there was nowhere for her to go. She'd be lost forever, in her own private hell. Though, she realized quickly, she might not make it either way.

There were too many emotions fighting to take control inside her and too many thoughts ran rampant through her overloaded mind. Inside her, chaos had taken control and every careful step brought her that much closer to exhaustion. Her breathing had become abnormal and her eyes had become unfocused until she felt her head roll back and her wild eyes meet those of a rusty yellow-green.

For only a moment she made out the black shape of a large wolf. He sat silently, some fifteen yards away, with his snout partly open in what looked like a crooked half smile, as if he knew some intimate secret, and his sharp eyes gazed with deadly intent in her direction. Her lips parted in a small startled gasp before the creature seemed to shimmer out of existence.

Slightly confused and unsure how to deal with this new development, she turned her head back in the direction she was traveling, determined to ignore it. She hadn't gone but two steps further when her eyes picked up something to her left. The same black wolf was now ten yards away and trotting softly along side her. This time his eyes were directed at something up ahead. His mouth was open, his pink tongue to the side and she could make out sharp yellow fangs; fangs that could easily tear through flesh and bone if he chose to attack. But just as sudden as his appearance, he was gone. It was as if the winds had gently swallowed him up.

Once more she turned back toward the direction of her intended destination secure in the knowledge that this strange wolf-ghost was not an enemy. In all honesty, its presence was soothing and it was the only thing that made her feel remotely safe here. Though strange and unethical, she didn't think to second-guess the matter. Feeling safe was a rarity she ever allowed herself.

With some semblance of strength returning she could make out something wavering in the distance. She felt no relief at this, only a churning of dread and apprehension within her. As she came closer she could make out an altar made of red marble, and above it, etched across an arch, appeared a gold inscription of ancient text.

Large steps lead up to a sacrificial platform and at the base of these steps, crows were hobbling about, picking and scratching at invisible particles in the sand. Coming even closer still, her mystified eyes looked up to find a boy.

She took in the details of the boy and then took a step back in terrified amazement. She brought a trembling hand to her throat where her heart lay hammering away. She felt flushed, her porcelain skin turning a deathly pale. The temperature seemed to drop drastically and she brought her arms up to shield against the sudden chill.

It hurt to breathe. She couldn't seem to fill her lungs with enough air and she struggled with deep breaths. She tried to take everything in, tried to find some small detail that would tell her if it was truly him.

She studied his eyes. Eyes, which held life and intelligence. Eyes that were once again comprehending and clear. They were so different from the ones she had looked into last, all those seven years ago. Those eyes had been unfocused and empty; dead.

She shuddered at the memory, willing it away. She studied the sturdy, twelve-year-old boy above her and while her mind tried to deny who it was, her heart wanted so much to believe. She wished to be able to sweep him up in the comfort of her arms and hear the steady beat of his heart. He looked so real, so healthy, and so _alive. _

She was brought to an abrupt halt at the bottom of the steps as she connected with some sort of invisible barrier. She tried pressing firmly with both hands against it but the smooth surface only rippled in response. Finding herself stuck and suddenly helpless at what to do, she brought unbelieving eyes to the very dark brown eyes of her dead brother. They swept over his appearance and she realized with a sort of fascinated horror that he wore the very outfit he was killed in. Black light up sneakers, scuffed and faded blue jeans, his old little league t-shirt, and an over-sized baseball cap.

Unbidden tears burned at her eyes, and a hollow ache began to fill her heart. Seven years of guilt squeezed at her soul as unwanted memories pushed there way to the surface of her mind, and with an anguished whisper, she breathed the one name she hadn't spoken of since his unexpected death.

_Shingo…_

"This barrier separates you from sacred ground, of which you are forbidden to tread as you are not a higher being."

"Higher… being?" she breathed in confusion. His words were so hard to comprehend, when just looking at him was too overwhelming. Shock was trying to take her over, a sort of paralyzing numbness, which left her a breath away from losing what little sanity she had left. Somehow it was that very thought which suddenly left her strikingly sober. For unexplainable reasons, her sanity was precious.

"Welcome to the kingdom of lost souls Serenity, resting place of the unwanted."

His voice however, was not the same high pitch squeal she remembered. It was low and solemn; older, and it made her nervous. There was, she noticed with immediate caution, something else in his voice; a sort of cold intelligence that wasn't apart of him. It made her wonder what lay beyond the exterior of her brother's corpse. If perhaps there was something else underneath his skin, hiding. She suppressed a shudder.

It was then that his words registered and she began to panic, afraid of what it meant. The words were hard getting out as she struggled to keep her composure. Rampant emotions would change nothing she rationalized.

"Shingo your not… you can't… your soul's not… … not… " she didn't trust herself to finish, fearing the answer. Shingo deserved better than this, so much better.

"It's complicated Serenity and to explain would reveal secrets before their time."

She didn't like his vague answer and her heart rate accelerated at what it might mean. Her instincts whispered that this little reunion would lead to something monumentally bad. But there were so many questions, so many things needed to be said. Words she hadn't been able to tell him before the tragedy and words that she wanted to take back. Everything was all just a jumbled buzz in her head and she was scared about where it would all lead. She had to say something, anything while he stood quiet and still above her.

"I'm…" she took a deep shuttering breath and tried again, "I'm not sure… where to start…there are words…" she trailed off in a small whisper, her body straining with the effort to keep from breaking down.

And suddenly she couldn't, she didn't want to keep everything inside anymore. So she sank into the sand, fast salty tears slipping down porcelain cheeks. Bowed over with her make up smearing and her arms wrapped around herself in a defenseless gesture her image of an invincible goddess had melted away. In its place stood nothing more than a defeated mortal who had grown up far faster than she was meant to. She fell against the cold barrier exhausted, while she cried out seven years of frustration and fear.

"I'm sorry" she spoke through her sobs, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

As she spoke past all the pain and anger and regret, a breeze began to flutter softly, rising up to encircle her and she felt herself lean into the warm comfort of it. She could here a calming melody within it, a sort of hushed lullaby, which soothed the quelling of her emotions. She breathed it in and it washed over emotional scars with gentle healing fingers.

"I died never blaming you for my death, and so you must never blame yourself. You must also never fear your emotions, or your memories, one day they may be all you have left. They may be the only thing to save you."

His voice was soft, and something lifted from her at his forgiving words. She breathed in and let go of her control. For a brief moment she felt light, almost non-existent, and she felt the true aspects of peace. She smiled.

'Remember this Serenity; remember that piece of mind will give you infinite power.'

Something seemed to shift in the atmosphere suddenly and Usagi became aware of her dreary surroundings once more. Her brief moment of peace was fading quickly as the crows around her began to squeal and whine. She looked to her brother with worried eyes and the fear she found in his eyes left her with a sudden sense of unexplainable urgency. It was when his presence began to flicker out that her urgency turned into panic.

"Shingo," she spoke his name with a desperate, startled cry, "Shingo your fading."

"I'm afraid there isn't much time, and I'm sorry for that. It was foolish of me to think that He wouldn't detect the movement." His words were calm but his eyes were nervous, and all she could do was stand there confused and desperate.

"What do you mean there's no time, who is HE, please I don't understand, Shingo your fading" Her tone was pleading and she didn't know why. She wanted the calm again, wanted to be swept up in the gentle winds and be lost forever to escape this never ending nightmare.

"Yes I'm afraid so. This place, it's common ground, reachable to both light and dark entities and He has more power over the uncared for, then we do."

Everything just left her more confused, they were just more words she didn't understand and probably never would.

"Who? Shingo your words have no weight, please…please Shingo, please…" Why couldn't he just make sense?

"Listen Serenity… you must listen to me."

"I am Shingo… I am, but…"

He was beginning to fade completely and her panic increased rapidly, she didn't want him to go, couldn't let him go.

"I'm sorry… times run out… but there are things you must know… and things you must let go…"

"Shingo!" He faded completely for longer than a few seconds and she pounded at the barrier in stricken terror. "SHINGO!" The crows took flight in haste, caught up in a sort of slow motion, flapping madly and crying shrilly into all directions, and then Shingo fazed in with startling clarity but his words left no room for comfort.

"There are five you must find, five you can trust, and five you must protect at all costs, fore if they fall to him, so does this world. The road you travel is not a clean one. It is filled with lies and deceit and you may find yourself alone in the very end. There will be times when you lose your way, or you feel like giving up, but to fight your destiny will only leave things worse. If you run, it will find you anyways, and it will be too late. You must beware the beast, powerful and selfish; he plays only for his own gain. Do not let the past control you, know everything before you draw conclusions. And lastly, when you see me again, you must not hesitate. Remember me now, remember me as I was, and remember that I love you."

He faded into dust particles before she could tell him the same and tears slipped down her cheeks in a silent, sorrowful goodbye. She leaned against the barrier still uncertain of so many things and unsure of where to start in this epic journey she'd been thrust upon.

"I don't know if I can do this" She whispered to an empty alter.

Something sparked and cracked and the next thing she knew she was staring into menacing red eyes, and a deformed smile.

"I'm counting on it" he rasped.

She rose up breathless, eyes wide and body trembling. She rocked slightly back and forth trying hard to forget, to remember, and to come back to herself. Something rang out softly past the door and she couldn't comprehend what it was. 'Phone' came a hazed voice from the depths of her foggy mind. 'Answer the phone!'

"The phone" she spoke allowed and things began to click, "Shit!" She sprung from the covers and smashed her shoulder on door frame in her haste to pick it up.

"Mmhhm… what?" she mumbled through the pain exploding throughout her arm.

"Usagi?"

"Yes, who is this, and what are you doing calling me at…" she looked for the time and found a clock on the far side of the wall, "at 4:30 in the goddamn morning."

"You know I don't like that language Usagi no matter how early it is."

"Mom?"

There was a pause on the other line and Usagi, realizing it to be her, remembered that she had sworn never to call her that after their last final argument.

"Ikuku, what is it?" Her voice was now a little clearer and somewhat detached, wishing now that she hadn't picked up the phone. She blamed her rashness on the dream, and suddenly she was swept up in the memory of it. She could still picture him in her mind, crystal clear.

"Usagi? Usagi…are you there?" Ikuku's rising voice pushed her back into reality. "Yes." There was a sigh and a pause and Usagi wouldn't break the silence, no matter how much her mother wanted her too.

"I… I need to talk to you, It's important."

"I'm listening" Her voice unnaturally hard and impatient. Ikuku cleared her throat and Usagi could sense her awkwardness; she smirked over the phone. "Well I was hoping we could talk in person, say seven tomorrow at the new café on sixth street?"

"I'm busy."

"Usagi please, it's important and I'd like to see you. I… I'm worried about you, really worried, please?"

She wouldn't admit it, but she missed her mother, Ikuku, and she wanted to see her, see how she looked, but the words they'd exchanged so long ago still stung. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this yet.

"Please?"

"Fine" she conceded, dreading the out come but knowing she had to do this.

"Thank you, I… I'll let you go, then"

"Bye" And she hung up before she could say anything else and thinking she'd already heard too much. She looked to the clock and 4:45 a.m. blared back at her. She sighed knowing she didn't want to go back to sleep but realizing she had a lot dead time till seven. Sighing again she put her hair up and headed for the bedroom closet with determination. Clothes and shoes and things not allowed in a closet had begun to build up in there and she was going to clean it; anything to keep her mind off the disturbing dream. Hopefully the stench itself would just knock her out for the next ten years and someone else would have to save the world and talk with her mother. 'Yeah right' she muttered scornfully before getting started.

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Elsewhere outside of the city, near Shinto Woods, in a secluded mansion, Endymion was stalking dark corridors on the way to his study where he kept the good scotch. The door was noiseless as it opened and the room was illuminated with a single large candle. High bookshelves lined the walls and in the middle stood a long ornate desk. He became uneasy when he realized his crystal carafe (the thing that holds the liquor) was not sitting in the middle of it as it should be.

He reached out with his senses and was alerted to someone in the right corner, sitting in shadows. But rather than take the defensive, he smirked in amusement toward the intruder.

"You're up late"

"So are you" a voice countered.

"I was awakened from slumber, what's your excuse?"

"Just drowning my sorrows in your expensive liquor; you've got good taste." The last comment held double meaning but Endymion wouldn't rise to the baiting.

"She must be somewhere close if you're drinking, especially if you're drinking rich."

There was a pause, and then movement, and then a tall man with striking auburn hair stepped quietly out of the shadows. He was only slightly taller that Endymion and just a little bit under weighted. He wore blue jeans and a white dress shirt, his long hair running past his shoulders. He held a filled glass in one hand and the carafe in the other, one quarter of it gone, but his purple-green eyes were still clear and focused.

"She's here, in the city, staying at the Hilton on Celtic Street. I saw her exit the cab as I was on my way to visit a client." His voice was solemn, almost sad and Endymion didn't have the words to comfort. He could barely deal with his own feelings rather then someone else's, so he stayed silent.

"I was tempted to walk over, talk to her, hear her voice, but a man got out of the car with her. They were laughing over something and then I noticed the ring on her finger. I fought the anger, the need to kill him and take her away, but I took in her happiness and I left. We had a lot of history together but I had never been able to give her that."

Silence ensued, both caught up in there own thoughts until Endymion broke it with an unnaturally quiet tone.

"You're a better man than I am. I couldn't let _her_ go, just about three hundred years of waiting and I still couldn't. I'll never let her go."

"I'm not sure I if I am." Nephrite admitted, "I still want her, still crave her and it take's everything I have not to go there and steal her away."

"I know Nephrite, I know." The words were somehow final and neither knew what else to say on the subject because both were unfamiliar with the dealings of the heart. So Nephrite cleared his throat and spoke of his own curiosity.

"How is it that I find you here?"

"Dreams," his voice had gone hard as he remembered his own reasons for coming here. He'd been there, followed her to the Alter of Sacrifice and had heard her brother's words. He had watched her break down and felt something tug at his chest. He'd also been given a glimpse of the true monster of which she would face and had felt the rage which consumed it. He doubted she was strong enough, doubted that she would ever be ready for this, but he wouldn't let her die. He would make sure of that.

His thoughts were interrupted by a touch on the shoulder and he looked up to find his friend concerned.

"It must not be the usual if you couldn't detect my movement's just now." Endymion looked to him with serious eyes and spoke in low, chilling tone.

"We're approaching the end of something bigger than us, all of us, and Serenity's the center of it all. Things are going to build up fast and Serenity won't be prepared. She's going to need help if she wants to find the five fallen warriors."

Nephrite's eyes widened in awe at what the last comment meant and he spoke with something akin to understanding.

"She's the chosen one isn't she, the one the prophecy described, and all those years ago was just the beginning. We awakened something that night, and it's had three hundred years to rest and gain strength."

"Yes."

"Then maybe she was meant to die, maybe there was nothing to be done about it and the bite was a…" he trailed off when he heard a low growl in Endymion's throat explaining that he was not to go there. Three hundred years and he still wouldn't talk about her death.

"I need you to do research on mythology, it could help us locate the warriors, and we'll have to find them before anyone else dose." It was a command to do it now and do it fast.

"Why do we need them?" Nephrite knew he was pushing it but curiosity had always gotten the best of him.

"Bargaining chips," he didn't explain further and Nephrite made his departure, not expecting anything more. He had disappeared out the door when Endymion smiled leisurely to himself.

"I think it's time Serenity and I met formally." And he picked up an empty glass, poured a healthy amount of scotch, and barred his teeth in a grin of the up coming fireworks that explode between them.

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Well there you go and I hope you enjoyed it. I'm sorry the dream was a little lengthy but it was all meaningful and important to the story. Everything in this chapter was significant to the story. But OMG you guys are going to love me, or those interested in my story will, because I finally know where I'm going with this story and I'll be able to update more frequently. Cool or what? Neways after this chapter there will be a lot of interaction between the two of our fav characters and the introduction to more characters we all love; promise. Also I am going to go into their past and Usagi's family history. Please, please let me know what you think about this chapter, even if it's constructive criticism; just as long as it's not too harsh. TTFN!


	6. Chapter 5

I'm going to save all my explanations and gratitude for after the chapter. I wanted all you readers to get right to the story; I've kept you waiting (in suspense I hope) for long enough.

Please enjoy…

CHAPTER **5**

Usagi pulled her 91 Ford Taurus up to the curb and parked. She was about a block and a half away from the new Crown Café and a few minutes early. She shut off the engine and sat there gripping the steering wheel with sweaty hands.

She wasn't sure how to go from here, and just getting here, had been hard enough. She looked down the road toward the coffee shop where she could picture her mother sitting in a corner booth, alone. She could see her sipping hot green tea, looking frail and aged, and her chest tightened at the sad image forming in her mind. She was left feeling pulled in two directions as her mind whispered that she turn back, while her heart pressured that she go forward.

'What do I say?' 'What will she say?' So many questions but Usagi had no answers for any of them. 'The only way,' an unnaturally soft voice whispered in her mind, 'you'll ever get them, is if you get out of this car and stop hiding. For once in your life Usagi, act like an adult,' and in sudden clarity she realized her stalling for what it was. She'd been hiding from her mother for seven years and that had been seven years too long.

She was going to have to be bigger than words in order to confront a truth she could no longer deny, because her mother deserved more than Usagi had given; or would ever give. Suddenly filled with a silent determination, she got out of the car with ease and walked down the empty street with a sort of purpose. As the Crown doors closed behind her she glanced back fleetingly, her confidence slipping slightly, but just as quickly looked away to avoid the temptation they offered, She walked toward the hostess swiftly, with every intention of seeing this through.

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Just 40 yards away from the cafe, on an outdoor bar patio of a place called Sharky's; Endymion sat at a table with a gin and tonic. He was wearing dark blue jeans with a white t-shirt and black loafers; and despite the casualness of his appearance and the atmosphere, he somehow managed to still look regal. His hair was wet and messy as it fell into his eyes, which were looking toward the dark entrance of the pub; they seemed expectant.

As if on cue a waitress came out, swaying hips and fluttering eyelashes, and Endymion hid a sneer behind his now empty glass. He took in her tall figure, and fake curves. Her face might have been beautiful if it hadn't been for all the dark make-up, and if she hadn't dyed her obviously red hair bleach blonde. She was wearing a short black skirt with a tight see-through halter-top and long black boots. There was a seductive smile on her face as she winked at him. He gave no response to her blatant sexual display, but it didn't deter her in the slightest. She placed a tray she'd been carrying in front of him, and bent down to reveal an unhealthy amount of cleavage as she offered him another drink.

"I thought you could use another one; it's on me." Her voice was low and inviting and it grated on what little nerves he had left.

"Well…" He looked to her nametag, "Beryl; lets get one thing straight. You can buy me as many drinks as you like, but there isn't enough alcohol in this world, let alone in this glass, that would make you appear even slightly appealing to me." He gave a small, condescending smile before turning away, dismissing her completely. Her eyes narrowed, and feeling completely humiliated, she slammed his drink down with a huff and stormed off; her face as red as her hair roots. (I had to do that because I'm a big BITCHY-BERYL hater. So I thought it would be fun to bring her in and humiliate her, in a brief tiny cameo. God I love my job!).

Endymion sipped his drink, ignoring her theatrics, while his perceptive eyes pulled out two women sitting in a corner booth from a crowded café down the street. One was older, in her early forties, but still beautiful despite the stress lines around her eyes, which unkind years had put there. Thick, black hair pooled around her torso in curls, and accented her tan skin; they complemented her dark brown eyes. She was Japanese, though very few people would have guessed the same.

She was sitting across from a younger woman who had her back to him, but he knew who she was. He knew by the cherry-vanilla fragrance she wore, and by the silvery-blonde color of her hair. He could feel her anger at the older woman and the older woman's tired frustration at everything. They were arguing.

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Usagi put her head down, regretting her belief that she could do this. She should have known, when her mother had greeted her with a short, 'you look too thin', that this had been a mistake. They had exchanged pleasantries awkwardly after that, both not knowing where to start. So Usagi, uncomfortable with the awkwardness, had asked bluntly, 'what to do you want?' It had gone downhill from there, gaining momentum, until Usagi had had enough.

"I shouldn't have come." Usagi stood up and gathered her things, disappointed beyond belief that her mother hadn't changed at all. "I thought maybe, maybe after seven years, you'd finally grasped the concept that I'm not like other people, that no matter how much I wish I could be normal I'm not, but I guess that's asking too much from you. I should just accept the fact that you're never going to understand."

But before she could slip out of the booth completely something caught her wrist, and she turned to stare down at her mother's tired face.

"Don't run from me Usagi, you did at 18 and you're doing it now. The only reason I don't understand is because you didn't give me time. You dumped all this supernatural shit on me right after Shingo died, and you expected me to handle it. Well, I couldn't, and yeah I got angry but you never gave me a chance to take back the words. Suddenly you were never home, always out late with Makoto, and when you were home, you locked yourself in your room. So I just stopped trying and then you left; what could I do?"

Her mother released Usagi's hand as she sat back down slowly, suddenly caught up in remembering the day she had told her mother everything, and the events that had followed after.

It had been a week after Shingo's formally announced death, a Saturday, and everyone had sat idle around the house. Her father, Kengi, had been sitting in a recliner in a corner of the living room; and for hours his unseeing eyes had stared at a picture on top of the mantle above the television. It had been a picture of Shingo and his friends celebrating his tenth birthday, with Shingo blissfully unaware that it would be one of his last. Ikuku had been in the kitchen, her hands gripping the edge of the kitchen counter, while Usagi, who'd been standing in the doorway quietly observing her, would watch as she took turns looking up into the dull, grey clouds through a small window above the sink, and then back down at the dirty dishes, which had been piling up in the past week. She looked lost, and Usagi knew the feeling because she was feeling it too, just like her father; they were all lost without him.

Usagi also remembered the heavy silence that had settled over the house like a thick, suffocating blanket. She remembered hating how large and empty the house had become now that her brother was dead. Dead; the word had sounded so final, and she hated that too. She hated the way her parents barely spoke anymore, and she hated the way their eyes always looked so sad, and she hated that her brother would never celebrate another birthday, or experience his first kiss, or start a family; but most of all, she hated herself for being the one responsible.

There were tears falling before she even realized it, as the guilt and shame and self-hatred festered in her heart and hit her hard. Her brother's life had been placed in her hands the night he had disappeared and she had let it slip through numb fingers. He'd been missing for three days, and when the police had found his body, they had labeled his death an unexplainable homicide.

When they spoke of two unnaturally large incision marks just under his jugular, and that his blood had been drained to a non-existent level, Usagi's fears had been confirmed. The monsters Usagi had only learned about just a under a year ago had murdered her brother.

Her parents however, would never understand, and Usagi had stayed silent with the fear of their reaction. She knew she would have to tell her parents, she would have to tell them all of her secrets because they deserved to know, had a right, so she had come down here to try. But how did she find the words to tell them that the reason they would never get to see their only son grow up was because she had carelessly left him to fend for himself, thinking that he'd somehow, stay safe.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hands, and by sheer will alone, walked up behind her mother, trying to utter something, anything, but her mother spoke first.

"Usually," there was only a small pause before her mother continued speaking, "right around this time, you'd still be in bed, sleeping the day away, and just about now, I'd ask Shingo to go and wake you, because I didn't want you to miss out on breakfast."

Usagi stayed silent at her mother's soft words, not sure where this was going.

"He would complain as he stomped up the steps, and I would smile at the exaggeration of his anger. I could hear him yell for you to 'get your lazy butt' out of bed, and for the next few minutes I'd only here Papa watching the morning news and the hum of the refrigerator, but I would always wait for it…" her voice went low as she remembered the Saturday morning ritual, and then her voice broke as she continued.

"Suddenly I'd hear a loud screech, yours of course, and then Shingo laughing. I'd hear quick footsteps as you chased him down the steps with a shoe. You'd end up chasing him around the table till you took notice of the food on the table; and in the end I'd get angry, and chastise you both for acting like four year olds."

There was another pause and Usagi knew her mother was crying, but she was trying to get the words out before she broke down completely.

"But the truth is, I was never really angry and I would give anything to have that routine again instead of this god awful silence; instead of this choking, unbearable, quietness. I can feel it creeping into my soul Usagi and I fear that it will leave me deaf inside."

She turned then, and Usagi was there when her knees gave out. She looked down into her mother's hollowed eyes and grief ravaged face, and Usagi's heart broke at how defeated and small she looked.

"I failed as a mother Usagi."

Usagi stifled a rising sob and weakly shook her head as her mother reached up to squeeze her shoulders painfully.

"I buried my son." Her voice was heavy and slightly crazed; as if she couldn't quite comprehend the words but understood the unmistakable significance behind them.

"He was supposed to bury me." She finished in a dazed whisper, her eyes glassed over and far away.

Usagi slid down onto the floor to be level with her mother and swept her up in the warmth of her arms. She rocked her slowly, carefully, while a deep fear began to settle fast within the recesses of her mind. She was suddenly afraid for her mother, afraid of what she might do to herself, not physically but mentally. The thoughts that filled her head, the belief that she had allowed this to happen, that she hadn't done enough, would ravage her mind until there was nothing left. She'd drive herself insane, waste away slowly in a disparaging house filled with the face of the reason she was suffering. But Usagi would not lose her too. She would save her mother where she couldn't save her brother.

"Don't mother," she rasped suddenly, "Don't spend the rest of your life wondering what might've been. Don't get stuck thinking there was something else; some small detail that could have changed anything. And don't; don't hold this travesty over your head, because the weight will crush you." Her voice had become sharp and strong, despite feeling weak and unstable, but her mother needed to hear this, needed to believe and understand that this was not her fault.

"You did everything you could, everything, but this is the way things are. And if anyone should have done something more, it…" and then her voice broke, her body trembled, but for the sake of her mother she would say this; she had too.

"It should have been me." It was a whisper, a tiny whisper but her mother had heard because she had pulled back to stare at her unbelievingly. Her throat went dry, and the words caught, and it hurt, everything hurt, but she would not let her mother live with the self-destructive thoughts that were building in her mind.

It was Usagi now who clung to her mother for support, but she wouldn't look at her, couldn't watch as her face turned angry and unforgiving. So her eyes picked out a dirty cup on the counter behind her mother, one that Shingo had favored, and stared at the sports pattern while she began her confession.

"I believe…" She swallowed painfully, "the place to start… would be about a year ago. When Makoto and I were becoming really close friends and things were still normal. But, then I stumbled, literally, onto a big family secret of theirs, and things just weren't normal anymore." Her mother stayed silent and Usagi was grateful, interruptions could make her lose sight of what needed to be said.

"I found… I… learned… that," she fumbled with the words, her body becoming hot and uncomfortable, while her breath began to shorten, "there are monsters… real life monsters… the kind… the kind you see in books… and in movies. And her family, Makoto's family, they fight them, and I can fight them too. I… I have a natural talent so… so they trained me, and taught me, and I excelled."

"And after four and a half months of lectures and facts and attack drills, Makoto and I were left fighting the real thing. They were big, and strong, and fast, at first, but I found that I was never really scared. Everything felt natural, familiar, and I began to anticipate the next confrontations. I realized that despite all their extra gifts, they were sloppy, arrogant, and mindlessly stupid. There ever-present hunger left them careless until it was all too easy for us. But then we became over-confident, reckless, and it almost cost me my life.

"Makoto helped me home that night, kept me conscious, and stopped the blood flow. We came through my window as quiet as we could, but Shingo was standing in the doorway just the same. It was when he didn't go running for you; when he quietly walked up to me and gently swept back the hair from my face, I realized he knew. Not everything of course, but just enough, and I was grateful to be able to share something of my secret. He stayed with me all night, while I healed quickly, and in the early hours of dawn I explained roughly my late night disappearances.

"He understood for the most part, but I remember him telling me that night, in this strange grown up voice."

'I should call you crazy and yell for mom because she would know what to do. But I watched the miracle of your fast healing and something in your eyes tells me that this is real. So I'll let it be for now. But if this becomes routine, where you come home half dead all the time, I well get anybody I have too, to stop this. Are we clear?'

"He sounded so different, older, and all I could do was nod a silent yes. I stared after him as he left, just as quietly has he had come. After that it was hard be normal with him around you or dad, so I began to avoid him. But every night, when I'd come creeping through my window, maybe close to two in the morning, he would peek in from my doorway, just to make sure I wasn't… hurt. Usually I'd smile an okay, and he'd linger for a moment before heading back to the comfort of his bed. The gesture was so simple, but it meant everything to me, and I loved him so much for it. But it was that worry, that concern that… that got him killed."

Her mother had gone still; her breathing almost non-existent and Usagi feared what she would do when she heard the end of this horrible story. This was the hardest part, and it would cost her everything.

"The night of Shingo's disappearance had started just like every other. I'd sneak out through my bedroom window as the last light in the house went out. Then I'd rush through the empty and dirty streets of the city to meet Makoto at the public park near the flower walk, and things unraveled so fast from there that I was helpless to do anything but let it happen. From the start even, there was nothing I could do."

She took a shaky breath, "I arrived to find myself alone, and it took just under an hour of waiting to realize that something was off; that something was wrong. Makoto was unconscious when I found her, with various bite marks on her neck and arms. There was a large purple bruise on her right shoulder and upper left eye, a deep cut near her collar bone, and her left arm looked like it had twisted funny; it was broken. I searched for a pulse, not expecting one, and instead, it was unbelievably fast. Everything was such a fuzzy mess in my mind that I didn't think about what it meant. I remembered thinking, why didn't they kill her, why isn't she dead, but then her eyes opened; it was too late by then.

"I sailed hard into a tree with the breath knocked out of me, and the ground spinning fast. She was there in another second and I felt myself being lifted by my neck, her hand squeezing at my windpipe while my feet dangled off the ground.

"They must've been waiting, planned it so a large gang of them would come at her all at once, in order to over power her. And while her battered body showed she'd put up one hell of a struggle it hadn't been enough. And with so much blood loss she was vulnerable to their hypnotic suggestions, their mind control; they had poisoned her mind against me. I knew from the white film that covered her eyes and by the way she would twitch from the evil overdose.

(Okay here is where I'm changing the writhing style, it's like she's taking us back into another flash back)

"I'm going to make this slow and painful, and begging will be of little use to you." Usagi was thrown another fifteen feet, effortlessly, into the ground. She sputtered on the air now available to her burning lungs, but concentrated more on where her attacker was. She blocked the next hard kick with her arms and kicked at Makoto's stomach with enough force to make her stagger backwards. Usagi got up fast, on the defensive, and tried to think of a way to knock Makoto unconscious again, because only then would she be able to help her.

Makoto came at her again and Usagi jumped up into a round-a-bout kick, which connected with Makoto's head and had her stumbling to the side. Usagi came down just as Makoto stood ready and balanced again. In the short moments where both waited for the other to make a move, Usagi saw that Makoto's left arm was limp. Makoto charged at Usagi but she sidestepped and grabbed Makoto's useless arm to flip her over roughly on her back. Makoto grunted at the sharp pain racing up her arm and stayed down, panting heavily. Unfortunately, before Usagi could give her friend the comfort of peaceful unconsciousness, Usagi became distracted and terrified as her brother ran out into the clearing, looking confused and screaming at her to stop what she was doing.

That was all the time Makoto needed to kick her backwards a few yards, with her landing heavily on her side. Usagi watched, horror stricken, as Makoto charged after her brother who stood frozen in fear. She scrambled up, her heart racing, and literally flew at Makoto in desperation to intercept her. They tumbled down, smearing dirt across their clothes and faces, and rolled to a stop with just a few inches between each other. Usagi was up quick and dragged Makoto up with her, and before Makoto could gain her bearings, Usagi hit her twice in a double rounded fist attack (like how Faith does when Buffy and her fight in the third season) and then kicked her hard and far into the bushes behind her.

With Makoto busy for now she rushed over to her brother who was still frozen in his place and shaking. She lifted him up easily and carried him swiftly toward a concealed spot of overgrown and condensed shrubbery.

She looked into his wide, uncomprehending eyes, and took in his trembling form, and felt something heavy cross her heart.

"Stay here. Do not move until I come for you. If in ten minutes I'm not back, you run. You run like hell toward home and don't look back." He nodded once and she kissed his forehead briefly. She pulled back once more to look at him and smiled a weighted smile before she rushed off back into the clearing.

She returned to find Makoto was missing and everything had become disturbingly silent. Nothing could be heard except for the beating of her own heart, which seemed to pound so loud she was sure the people across town could've heard it.

She knew Makoto hadn't left because demonic orders would only leave you when you were dead or you had completed what was demanded of you. So she calmed her breath and opened her senses to everything surrounding her. She heard a dragging sound in the grass and ducked just as Makoto sailed over her, missing her intended target.

Makoto jumped up in a mad frenzy but Usagi was ready for her. She grabbed at Makoto's broken arm and pinned it behind her back. She kicked in her knee, hard, forcing her to kneel. Usagi then brought her free arm down even harder between Makoto's jawbone and shoulder, into the soft flesh of her neck. Something snapped and Makoto fell to the ground, limp.

Usagi fell with her, tears in her eyes, as she cradled Makoto's head in her lap. She brushed her sweaty bangs back, sorry for having fought her, for having to hurt her, and that it wasn't over yet. She reached down to find a pulse and panicked at how slow and weak it felt. She had to get her to a hospital; she needed a blood transfusion and lots of water for her dehydrated state.

She picked Makoto up and ignored the intense pain exploding in her muscles; glad that there was a hospital not to far from here. She headed toward the park exit when she remembered her little brother, frightened and alone, and waiting for her.

Her mind began to rationalize that her brother was smart and could take care of himself, where Makoto was injured and on the verge of death. He would be alright for now and she would explain things to him when she got home.

When Usagi knew that Makoto was safe within the hospital's care, she slipped out before they could ask questions and raced home; running fast enough to break world records. She entered her bedroom window and felt close to collapsing, but she would not give into the treading darkness that clouded the edges of her vision until she knew that her brother was safe. She tore through his door and groped for the light. When the room was flooded with it she found it empty.

She swayed, unable to think about what it might mean. _'He's here!'_ she thought frantically, _'he's just hiding, because he's scared.' _She ran toward his bed, with the covers askew, and began to tear it apart to find him.

"Shingo" she called softly, so as not to scare him further, "Everything's fine and I'm home now so you don't have to worry anymore. You no longer have to be afraid. I'm here, so please come out." But he didn't and Usagi began to pick apart his room in a crazy rage to find him.

"Shingo! Shingo!" Her voice grew louder and shriller every time she called his name. She kept searching until her desperate screams woke her parents and brought them rushing in, confused and still half asleep.

"Usagi?" Her mother's light voice questioned as she saw how Shingo's room lay in shambles; lamps turned over, his mattress shoved off the bed frame, and his clothes and toys littered everywhere. But Usagi ignored her clueless parents, pushed herself past them, and ran down the stairs still yelling for him. She looked under the living room couches, inside the bottom kitchen cabinets, and checked both the bathroom showers.

She returned to the living room, subdued and shaking, to find her parents at the bottom of the steps still confused but now more awake and worried.

"What is going on here Usagi? Do you even know what time it is, and where is your brother?" Her mother's voice was slow and deep in her head, far away. It was the million-dollar question. Where was Shingo?

"I... I don't… know," and then she collapsed, no longer able to hold off the darkness. But she welcomed it, took comfort in it as she began to fall to impossible, silent depths.

Usagi's voice fell away and her mother was left to blink away the images that had filled her mind at Usagi's words. But she couldn't make any sense of it, so she stayed silent and unmoving. Usagi tried to look at her mother, tried to determine her thoughts, but found she didn't have the strength to do so. So the seconds ticked by as the silence grew stale and choking.

Within a few minutes Usagi's limbs began to tremble and her breath became heavy and short as she waited anxiously for her mother to say something, anything. Instead she stayed frighteningly still and rigid.

"Momma please," she spoke at last; in a mumbled, pleading whisper, "please speak to me."

She moved to rest her forehead on her mother's shoulder when she suddenly staggered to her feet. Usagi fell forward with the abrupt loss of support but didn't attempt to get back up.

"I…" But her mother couldn't finish, not sure what to say.

"This… this is crazy," the words were a breathless whisper and Usagi looked up quickly to stare at her mother's turned back as she walked slowly toward the kitchen sink.

"Do you understand how this sounds? Do you realize what you're saying to me?"

"I'm not crazy mother; even though, right now, I wish I was. I wish… I wish this was just some cruel, crazy nightmare and that any minute I'll wake up to find him in his room playing video games. But this is real and he's… he's gone." Her mother flinched as the words left her mouth but Usagi ignored it. "And I know how it sounds, but I need you to just… I need you to… to believe me. Just… please…"

Ikuko tried to clear the thick fog suppressing her mind, tried to think rationally over everything, and found that only one thing stood out in her mind; just one. It left her cold and numb and hateful.

"How then…" Her mother's voice had suddenly become ice as she gripped the counter hard, hands tight to restrain herself. "How then… could you abandon your brother?"

She didn't turn around and Usagi began to shake uncontrollably, almost painfully, and hung her head in shameful despair as she tried to explain through the harsh tears that escaped her eyes.

"I didn't know what else to do at the time. Makoto was unconscious and nearly dead. I didn't have time to check on Shingo and get her to the hospital in time. So I…"

The sound of shattering dishes cut her off unexpectedly and she cringed away from the cutting noise. It took a moment for Usagi to look up into her mother's brown eyes that were shinny with hot anger, and deduce that her mother had shoved the numerous dishes off the counter in blind rage as she whirled around to speak at her.

"So you left him alone and vulnerable in a dangerous environment and figured that he'd be just fine?" Her mother's voice was casual, almost humored, as if the question was funny. It was as if this whole conversation about Shingo's death had suddenly turned funny, and it sent cold fear creeping up Usagi's spine. She could feel her heart freeze for a beat or two, so strong was her fear.

"No I…"

"Well, it sure seems that way, doesn't it Usagi? You had a decision to make it seems, Usagi, and your brother wasn't even worth your consideration. Now I've lost my son; my only son." There was a small sardonic smile on her face as she spoke with the same casual humor in her voice. Usagi felt her emotions shift suddenly, and though she had no right to it, she became angry at the accusation.

"That's not true! Makoto was dying. She was _dying_! I had no choice, and I left Shingo with specific instructions to run home if I didn't come back. He should have come home, but he never did like to listen to me. The fool probably waited too long and…"

It had been fast and hard and Usagi hadn't seen it coming. One minute her mother had been leaning against the counter and the next she had been startling close and then rocked back from the force of her mother's slap.

"Don't you dare blame Shingo for this!" She hissed ferociously, "don't you dare!"

Usagi brought a shuddering hand to sweep across her throbbing cheek where she knew large red welt lay. Guilt rose up like a tidal wave and swallowed her completely as she choked on scornful sobs. Her anger turned in on herself and she mentally began to lash out for the unthinkable, horrendous thoughts that had entered her mind without warning. She had no right to use Shingo as an excuse; none.

"I'm sorry." The words sounded weak and pathetic, and she realized they would never be enough. Ikuko let out a bitter bark of laughter, "You're sorry? We'll that's great Usagi, but I still don't I have my son back. Now I don't know what really happened that night, and I suppose I never will, but…"

"I told you what happened, I told you…"

"You told me a story about monsters and make-believe. You told me a distorted and deluded fairy nightmare. Underneath that, somewhere, there must be a simple truth in which something did happen, where you were involved, and regardless of everything else, whatever it may be or might have been, I blame you. I blame you…"

Usagi felt a rushing weightlessness engulf her, as if she were falling fast off some high-rise tower; and this time she knew there was no darkness to break her fall. This time she would hit concrete and she would break; she would shatter into a million pieces and lose herself.

"You need to leave. I want you to leave. Just get away from me, out of my sight before I lose _my_ sanity."

Usagi didn't need any more encouragement and got up roughly, swaggering toward the swinging kitchen door. She pushed past it and froze in the hallway that connected to the living room where her father sat staring at her. His eyes were blank as he looked over her flushed tear stained cheeks and her red swollen eyes. Just as she was about to leave he called out off handedly.

"I thought I heard something come from the kitchen, a noise or something?" She gave her father a disgusted look, and pitied the waste he would become to her mother, but he ignored it. Then she remembered it was she who had ultimately put him in this ugly state of mind and her eyes turned soft.

"Don't… worry about it dad." She spoke quietly before running up the stairs without waiting for a reply; he didn't give one.

She closed her bedroom door softly and turned to face her quiet room. She fell slowly to her bed, collapsing with a hand to her heart. She had stopped crying, and now her eyes were dry and irritated, while her throat burned and ached.

She stared at the ceiling and felt the anger she had lost returning, anger at everything and everyone, but most of all herself. She welcomed it, craved it, because it was better than the swelling emptiness that consumed her. Violence began to rage inside her and she stood up to look around her room, unable to stay still. Her lips formed into a sneer at all the useless frilly junk, which covered her bedroom walls and cabinetry pieces.

The violence grew wild, became an uncontrollable frenzy that pushed for release along her whole body. She walked swiftly to the closet and grabbed a baseball bat from her younger softball days and rushed back to the dresser closest to her. She raised her bat high and swung with every ounce of strength and watched with a sort of cruel gratification as her figurines and trinkets smashed to pieces.

She swung again, harder, to make the pieces even smaller, and reveled in the destructive power that flowed beautifully through her fingertips. But her simple actions hadn't satisfied her completely; she needed more, so much more. She moved on to another dresser and began to swing at all her meaningless collectables and keepsakes.

She was ruthless and relentless, moving throughout her room with random steps, swinging at everything within reach. Piercing screams began to follow the sound of shattering glass and splintering wood, and she didn't care that they were her own.

Then suddenly there was nothing left to break, and Usagi stood lost and incomplete among the messy remains of what was once her room. She looked to her broken vanity mirror and stared at the distorted image of herself with numb eyes. 'Seven years bad luck' her mind whispered dazedly, and then she laughed, almost hysterically.

She fell onto her ravaged bed, covered in various ripped pages of her Manga and laughed. She ignored the bits of glass that tore at her skin and left her bleeding. She rolled onto her back, her hands forming tight fists as the laughter died off abruptly and silence reigned for a moment or two.

"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!" she screamed to the heavens above with malicious fever. "It should have been me!" She repeated, and kept repeating it, over and over again until it became a mere bitter whisper. "It should have been me…"

As she spoke the words she could feel a part of herself slip away, close off and harden to become cold and indifferent toward everything around her. A wordless vow had formed upon her lips to find the monster who had taken her brother, who had killed him; and then make it suffer, make it beg and plead, but never show it mercy. Never!

Having something to look forward too now, she relaxed on the bed feeling completely exhausted and heavy with sleep. She felt her eyes closing and turned onto her side to get more comfortable. In one last fleeting sweep about her room, her eyes glanced over the mirror again, but what she saw now left her gasping and wide-awake.

She surged up and turned back around to face the dark haired man that she had seen standing in the mirror and found to be all too familiar.

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"Is this what you've been reduced to Endymion; some cheap stalker?" A foreign man's voice seemed to echo inside her head for a moment, before things began to fade away and she was suddenly left staring into her mother's much more older and panicked face.

"Usagi? Usagi what happened? You just about disappeared on me for a few minutes. Are you okay, do you need water?" Usagi herself wasn't sure of anything at the moment and while she tried to make sense of the last few minutes and convince her mother that she was fine, Endymion was trying to do the same. But instead of convincing his mother, who had died over several hundred centuries ago, that whatever had happened was nothing; he had to try and reassure his skeptic friend as well as himself.

Nephrite grabbed a chair and sat down while trying to hide the amusement that filled his face. It wasn't everyday that Endymion was caught unaware and spacey; more like never.

"Do you want to explain, or are we going to pretend that it never happened?" Nephrite was pleased to find that his voice sounded indifferent when in truth he was almost desperate to know what had happened in the last few minutes since he had come upon Endymion.

He watched as Endymion glanced up with slightly unfocused eyes that he couldn't seem to clear fast enough. Nephrite's amusement dissolved rapidly and was astounded to see the almost vulnerable expression on his friend's face. Nephrite could never remember a time in which he had seen this look. Ever.

Endymion struggled, after having lost himself inside Serenity's memory, to regain his impassive composure. His ruthless control had been stripped away while he watched a part of her tragic childhood unfold in vivid detail before his eyes. He was left helpless while his entire being filled with her every bitter emotion and self-condemning thought; powerful enough to make him believe for a moment that they were his own.

For one brief moment he had felt his heart, which he had forgotten was there at all, begin to beat fast with a powerful need. For only a second, this game had become more than just wanting what he couldn't have; she had suddenly become more than a mere possession. He had wanted something more from her, something special; he had wanted something that was meaningful and forever.

For a mere moment he had wanted to protect her from the future cruelty that life had yet to bestow upon her. He had wanted to soothe away the past scars that were branded forever across her heart. He had wanted to wrap her up in the strength of his arms and keep her safe from the dangers that awaited her. But then she had pulled away, the memory had dissolved, and reality had come rushing back to leave him winded and dazed, and empty.

He began to feel heavy, almost paralyzed by the magnitude of disturbing emotions that were stirring inside him. It were as though he was being swallowed up by a vast, violent ocean and sinking fast into its ominous dark depths. It felt as if he were loosing sight of his objective, unsure now of what he wanted, or how to obtain it. For the first time in over three hundred years, in just under a millennium, he was left questioning himself and his motives. Suddenly there were doubts forming, when he had been so sure of himself before; and he didn't like it. It made him feel weak and incapable.

Abruptly he shoved the sentimental thoughts away, his pride rising full force to bring back his confidence. He had lived too long not to know that every choice had consequences, but there was no consequence too great, if it meant he would have _her_.

With his objective clear once more, Endymion's eyes cleared, becoming as cold as ice, and coolly he glanced over at Nephrite to answer his earlier question.

"There's nothing to explain, I was just… thinking," His words were smooth and toneless while his expression had turned passive. The sudden change in Endymion's demeanor had Nephrite believing that he had imagined all of the last few seconds; until Nephrite remembered he didn't have an imagination.

"Right," Endymion looked up sharply at Nephrite, irritated at the obvious sarcasm, but Nephrite was too busy seating himself and calling over the waitress to order a drink to catch it; obviously having decided to let the matter go.

The waitress Endymion had burned earlier walked out in an irritated rush, writing down Nephrite's tall glass of bourbon in a furious manner, all the while glaring at Endymion. He ignored her of course, taking a large swallow of his drink as his dark eyes, brooding and intense, looked on down the road.

He wasn't going to apologize, she realized, and then ask her out on an expensive, intimate dinner for two. What little pride she had left from their first encounter, had just been completely shot to hell with this last encounter. She turned away sad and disappointed, but tried hard to stay angry so as not to cry, while Nephrite shook his head at another one of Endymion's brush-offs.

He watched the waitress until she disappeared inside the establishment, (sorry, but I got tired of saying the word bar. If I use a word over and over again, I go crazy! So I try not too…) and then turned back to Endymion who stared back; waiting.

Both were silent as Nephrite picked up a thin, black briefcase and slid it across the table toward Endymion. He picked it up, weighing it in his hands, his eyes looking over it carefully, slowly.

"It won't bite." The words were barked out in irritation but Endymion ignored Nephrite's sarcasm and continued his thorough inspection for another second or two, before speaking only a matter of five words.

"It doesn't feel like much."

Nephrite shrugged as if to suggest, 'tough shit', having expected as much from Endymion. Truth was, Endymion was right, even with a library filled with over a thousand books at his disposal, Nephrite had only been able to find a few measly paragraphs on the subject Endymion had specifically asked for. Of course, he'd also been slightly distracted with other, more important things on his mind; more specifically they were his own problems.

"Listen, if you don't find what you're looking for, fill free to conduct your own god damn research; I've got my own shit to deal with right now."

Nephrite knew that his angry words would push the feeble boundaries of there rocky friendship, but Nephrite was one of a very few who could handle Endymion's temper. Nephrite himself had his own temper brewing, and with good reason, because in the last thirty two hours he had denied himself the change into his natural from, the thrill of the hunt, and sleep. If anything, he was in the mood for a confrontation.

Strangely enough Endymion didn't take it any further and gave a short, swift nod of appreciation. Nephrite, bewildered into silence, felt his anger fizzle away and instead heaved a heavy sigh. The silence continued as a new, even younger waitress walked out carrying Nephrite's drink.

She looked slightly apprehensive as she approached the table, and her eyes glanced fleetingly from one to the other nervously. Immediately she noted the tense atmosphere between the two men, both of which looked very powerful and very dangerous, and decided over all that it would be best if she were to make herself seem as small as possible.

She placed Nephrite's drink down quickly in front of him causing the liquor to slosh over the sides of the glass. She gave a small embarrassed sorry, running a towel halfheartedly over the spilled liquid before turning around to scurry back inside; both were humored somewhat by her hurried, almost skittish behavior.

Nephrite was the first to remember himself, and suddenly tired of skirting around issues; decided he was going to be blatant with his suspicions.

"What is Andretos casting? I spied him earlier in the mirror room with a couple of different vials. I'm fairly sure he wasn't fixing himself a drink." Nephrite was surprised at how calm his voice sounded; he had expected childish sarcasm. He also had a logical guess what Andretos had been doing, but he wanted the truth from Endyimon.

When it appeared that Endymion wasn't going to answer, Nephrite let out a defeated breath. He stood up to leave, lingering for just a few seconds with the hopes of capturing Endymion's attention and possibly an explanation, but his eyes were hard focused in the direction of the café.

Nephrite shook his head, weather out of pity or frustration he wasn't sure, and turned to walk away. He had gone only a few steps when Endymion's cold voice reached him, "It's a cloaking tonic, to dim out all of the familiar aspects of my personality and appearance. Tonight she's coming face to face with her past, but she won't remember it; most of all me."

Endymion paused here, allowing Nephrite time to digest his words, and his motives, before adding, "as least not yet."

There were a million things Nephrite wished to say but not one of them was something Endymion wanted to here, so wisely, he said nothing. He only gave the barest nods and continued out.

Endymion kept where he was, his attention now fully centered on the conversation taking place down the street. He watched them acutely, noticing now that the older woman had glided next to Serenity with the intent to sooth her. Surprisingly he realized, she was crying.

Okay, Okay, first of all I know this is a rough place to stop the chapter, especially since I wrote in the last chapter that Serenity and Endymion were going to meet in this chapter, but it just got so long and I knew you guy were anxious for another chapter, I ended it here. If I had kept going, it probably would have taken me another three months to get it out. Which would you rather? I promise though that they will meet in the next chapter, PROMISE, PROMISE!

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Thats it...for now!

Okay next subject, I'd like to thank all of you that have left beautiful, positive feedback for my last chapter. I cherish your reviews and as always they inspire me UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE! Please continue with your wonderful reviews, I love to hear what you have to say.

This brings to yet another point, or topic, and that is this chapter, kinda sad I know but I wanted to explain her past, or childhood rather, (I'm sure there will be more flashbacks of her childhood) a little bit more and how she ended up fighting demons. I'm still going to explain her 300-year-old past with Endymion too, but I might end up making that a whole other story. Kinda like a sequel, nut not.

Last subject, If anyone wants to help with my editing, PLEASE e-mail me. I would be so grateful. I'm sure there are quite a few mistakes within this mass of words. The reason being is because I look it over kind of lazily when it's finished. I don't really catch all my errors because I'm itching to get the chapter posted. Please forgive me!

OH YAH! I have another story coming out soon! It's called Capture of the Amazon Princess! Hope you like it.

Well that pretty much sums everything up for now…Until next time!

Love,

Crazychaluppa99


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